Beneath The Mistletoe
by SouthernStars
Summary: They were completely unaware that they were standing beneath mistletoe, until his Uncle Alfie pointed it out with expectations. TxG oneshot.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters. **

**A/N: ****I'm heading away for Christmas and I don't know if I'll have access to the internet where I'm going. However, hopefully my Dad'll let me take my Laptop with me so I'll be able to work on ****Dangerous Fascination**** and ****Cat and Mouse**** while I'm away. If he does, which he probably will, I'll probably be able to finish them while I'm away! I hope you enjoy this!**

_**Beneath Mistletoe**_

They'd been flirting for months. Months upon months. They'd been flirting ever since he'd looked at her and discovered that Gabriella Montez, his little sister's best friend and what he considered the second most annoying thing in the world, was actually one of the most gorgeous things he had ever seen. It was a cliché he supposed, his mother and father used to laugh about it whenever the three of them would get into an argument. As he recalled, his mother had once said to his younger sister that she'd better watch out because in the future she might lose her best friend to her older brother, this had been said after a particularly vicious argument between the three of them which had somehow resulted in him awkwardly comforting his sister's best friend while his sister yelled at their mother for saying something so completely absurd. Looking back on it, he had to admit his mother knew more than he could give her credit for because she'd either seen something between them that neither had acknowledged until a few months ago or she was highly romantic and wanted to believe that something would happen between the two of them, which confused him because his mother wasn't a romantic as far as he knew and the thought at that stage that something romantic could come from the arguments between the three of them had been something even his own best friend wouldn't joke about and his best friend could make a joke about anything and everything.

Those arguments, however, were no more. In fact, as far as he could remember neither of them had argued with each other since they'd started flirting and he could tell it was beginning to get on his sisters nerves. The flirting she was oblivious to, but the lack of arguments she wasn't and he had found himself on the receiving end of her sniping at him for quite a while and as far as he could remember, the only time he had retaliated was when Gabriella hadn't been in the house, a feat he knew that both his parents were glad he'd accomplished and that Gabriella, more often than not, praised him on because she knew how hard it was for him to hold his tongue.

"Troooooy, will you get downstairs! Uncle Alfie's here and wants to talk to you!" Troy jumped at the sound of his sisters, Callie, voice and silently cursed her for coming up to get him. They'd already agreed that she would deal with the first half hour of the party before he even bothered to drag himself out of his room.

"Well tell him I doing last minute Christmas present wrapping!" He yelled back and groaned when Callie opened the door to his room and stepped in, shutting the door behind her and glaring at him.

"I can't! He knows you're hiding out and I can't keep him entertained for the rest of your half hour because Gabriella's here!" She hissed at him, managing to keep her voice low enough that he could here that chatter of relatives and friends from down below clearly enough.

"How does he know I'm hiding out?" Troy asked as he pushed himself off his bed and grabbed the black blazer his mother had bought for him a few weeks ago of the back of his desk chair.

"I don't know. It's Uncle Alfie, for some reason he seems to know everything even though he's old and senile." Callie said as she watched her older brother shrug into his blaze and button it up. For once, she could admit that he looked good, dressed in dark jeans and a plain white t-shirt with the blazer buttoned up over it, he looked completely reasonable, a far cry from what he usually wore.

"Gee Cal; want to say that any louder?" Troy asked, noting that his sister looked nice in a free flowing black dress with her hair up and an expression he knew meant that she was dying for someone to argue with because she'd spent the last fifteen minutes greeting relatives, some of which she couldn't stand, their parents colleagues with some friends thrown into the mix.

"Will you please just come downstairs? You are so much better at talking to people than I am, you know that! Besides, Gabriella's here and has already been cornered by Aunt Grace!" Callie hissed and a slow grin spread across his face at the mention of Gabriella, despite the fact that he knew his sister was though he was grinning because her best friend had been cornered by their rather eccentric Aunt.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming keep your hair on." Troy said, grabbing his phone and shoving it into his pocket before gesturing for his sister to leave his room and following her when she did.

"You do realize that Chad's been here for the past five minute's right?" Callie asked as they headed down the stairs together. Troy shrugged and winced when he heard their father's loud laugh.

"Yep. He's been doing this for years though Cal, he knows what to do until I appear." Troy replied and they both stopped halfway down the stairs to watch as their mother walked past, chattering to a colleague.

"Can you please remind me why we throw this stupid party?" Troy glanced over when he heard his sisters exasperated voice when she heard someone ask about her and her father answer enthusiastically.

"Because its tradition. Mom and Dad have been doing it since before you were born." Troy said and Callie snorted at his answer.

"Yeah, a whole, entire year. Wow." She said sarcastically and Troy laughed and shook his head at her sarcasm.

"So? You missed one. Feel lucky. I've never gotten out of one, no matter how hard I try." Troy said and Callie sighed at his words, feeling a mix of sympathy and amusement, which she was about to display when their mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs and glared up at her children.

"Explain." She demanded and Troy and Callie exchanged a glance at her tone, before continuing down the stairs.

"Callie came to get me, I was listening to music and didn't hear everyone get here," Troy said easily as they reached the bottom. Callie nodded absently, her eyes flicking over the people in their house.

"Really?" Susanne Bolton demanded and then softened when Troy laughed lightly, pressed a kiss to his mother's cheek in a rare sign of affection and nodded.

"Really Mom. Relax, its Christmas Eve, have some fun." He said before slipping past he and heading into the living room that was crowded with people. Feeling something run into his leg and cling, Troy looked down and had to grin at his thirteen month old cousin, Jackson, looking up at him pleadingly. Leaning down, Troy picked him up, throwing him in the air slightly making him giggle, before catching him and settling him on his hip just as his Aunt Lisa appeared, breathless and relieved.

"Oh Troy, thank goodness he found you! He just took off!" She exclaimed and Troy laughed at her expression, adjusting Jackson slightly before leaning over to kiss his Aunt's cheek.

"How are you Aunt Lisa?" He asked, jiggling Jackson slightly and making the little boy laugh again.

"I'm fine, how are you? Basketball coming along?" She asked, feeling happy that Troy was so willing to hold her energetic son and even more so as she watched Jackson snuggle into him and his eyes lids begin to droop.

"I'm good. Basketball's going really well actually, we made the Championship again and Dad's ecstatic," Troy replied, jiggling his cousin absently again, listening to him laugh as he cast his gaze around, surveying the people there and noting the ones he would have to talk to and the ones he wouldn't.

"That's wonderful! I'm surprised Jack hasn't mentioned it, he'd be so proud of you," Lisa said as Troy's gaze landed on a brunette, standing in a corner and looking uncomfortable. Grinning slightly, Troy glanced down at Jackson, who had fallen asleep; his head buried deep in Troy's shoulder, wondered briefly how the little boy could fall fast asleep so quickly and then smiled again at his Aunt.

"Yeah, he's pretty proud; do you want me to put Jackson down?" Troy asked, knowing his Aunt never let anyone but her or his Uncle put her children to bed and was rewarded with raised eyebrows and a look that told him to hand the boy over.

"Thanks Troy, I don't know how I'd get him to sleep if you hadn't picked him up." Lisa said gratefully, relieving him of the baby and smiling at him.

"It's okay. He likes falling asleep on me for some reason. I'll see you later." Troy said, flashing a grin as Jackson began to squirm in her arms and quickly making an escape before his cousin started bawling. Letting out a breath of relief, Troy cast his gaze around once again, running a hand through his hair, as he spotted his mother, father and sister all in different parts of the room, chattering to people. Rolling his eyes again, Troy's eyes once again landed on the brunette and, spotting his Uncle Alfie heading for him, Troy quickly weaved his way through the people to her. Coming up behind her, Troy leaned down to her ear.

"So, what's your thoughts on the Bolton Christmas party?" He whispered quietly and grinned when she jumped a mile and spun around to face, the liquid in her cup coming dangerously close to spilling over as she held a hand to her heart and looked up at him.

"Troy! Don't do that!" Gabriella exclaimed, slapping his chest as he continued to grin, studying her as she took a deep breath. She wore her hair down and to the side, the brunette curls tumbling over her shoulder in disarray, and hiding a nasty scratch she'd obtained because she'd run into a tree on her shoulder. She was dressed in a simple, spaghetti strapped deep blue dress, that hugged her curves and she'd teamed the dress with black flats, which explained why he'd had to lean down to whisper in her ear.

"Sorry, I thought it was funny." He shrugged and Gabriella smiled up at him, despite her narrowed eyes.

"You think everything's funny, where have you been? When I got here Callie was really annoyed because you weren't down here." Gabriella asked and Troy shrugged, glancing around the room again and seeing his sister and his own best friend, Chad, find each other.

"We were going to do half hour shifts, meaning I lock myself in my room for half an hour and then she does the same. Unfortunately, Uncle Alfie wanted to find me and I think she was caving under the whole 'socialize-and-be-nice' thing." Troy explained, watching Callie and Chad out of the corner of his eyes and raising his eyebrows when he saw Chad slip one arm around his sister's shoulders.

"Oh. Well, I've been here for half an hour and I've spoken to Callie once." Gabriella said and Troy turned back to her, grinning as she took a sip from her drink.

"So, how longs Cal had a thing for Chad?" He asked casually and nearly choked on a laugh when Gabriella choked on her drink at the question.

"W-what?" Gabriella gasped as he thumped her back. Troy's eyebrows rose and he nodded towards the two.

"Cal and Chad. How long has she had a thing for him? Cause he's had a thing for her for ages now." Troy said and Gabriella looked at the two, Troy best friend, with the crazy afro and energetic way of talking and her best friend, soft spoken and reserved and burst into laughter.

"I didn't think she had a thing for him." Gabriella gasped and Troy laughed at incredulity, before turning away from Callie and Chad and concentrating on Gabriella. It wasn't that he didn't care that his best friend wanted to hook up with his sister; it was just that he couldn't really see it happening, no matter how long Chad had had a thing for Callie. Instead he concentrated on Gabriella and knew that if Callie had any idea that he liked her best friend, he wouldn't be breathing.

"Oh, I don't think she does but I reckon she's thinking about it," Troy said and Gabriella shook her head in amazement at the thought of her best friend and Troy's.

"I just can't see it. Oh God, what happens if they get into a serious relationship?" Gabriella whispered as she watched Callie laugh at something Chad had said, Troy looked at her and let out a chuckle.

"Then we'd better watch out." He replied and Gabriella nodded her head emphatically before turning away as new laughter spurted through. Troy glanced once more at his friend and sister before waiting for Gabriella to explain why she was laughing.

"Can you imagine what it'd be like if they got _married_?" She whispered to him and, at the very thought of his best friend being tied to one girl for life, both he and Gabriella broke out into quiet laughter, avoiding looking at people.

"What's this then?" Both Troy and Gabriella jumped at the loud exclamation. Cursing himself for not paying attention, Troy turned to face his seventy-year old very proper, very English, Great Uncle Alfie who was watching the two with a hint of amusement.

"Hi Uncle Alfie, uh, you've met Gabriella before haven't you?" Troy asked as Gabriella drew in a deep breath, without thinking, Troy's hand found Gabriella's and he squeezed it as Uncle Alfie studied her through beady, black eyes.

"Yes, I do believe that I've met you before. Callie's friend, is that correct?" Gabriella nodded at the question, squeezing Troy's hand back as he glanced over her once again. His eyes lingered on their joined hands and Troy glanced at Gabriella as the old man's eyes flicked back up to their faces.

"I can see, you have also become Troy's girlfriend." He commented and Troy winced at the comment. Knowing that his Uncle had noted their joined hands and would be expecting some sort of explanation because of it.

"Oh no sir-" Gabriella started, glancing nervously at Troy as he spoke at exactly the same time.

"Uh, Uncle Alfie-" He started and then both were cut off by his Uncle disapproving glare.

"Not together, yet holding hands? You are not caught up in that silly friends with benefits nonsense are you?" Uncle Alfie glanced between the two teenagers, noting the red faces and nervous glances.

"Oh, no, no Uncle Alfie, not at all." Troy said and then mentally kicked himself because he knew his Uncle would take that answer as a confirmation that Gabriella was his girlfriend.

"Well, what are you two waiting for?" Gabriella stared nervously at the old man, knowing that she was probably cutting off the circulation in Troy's hand and not caring as his Uncle's eyes stared at them.

"Uh, what do you mean Uncle Alfie?" Troy asked, wiggling his hand slightly in Gabriella's grip as his Uncle let out a noise of disapproval at the question, which left Troy with a very odd feeling in his stomach.

"What do I mean, boy? What do you mean, 'what do you mean'?" Uncle Alfie replied and Troy blinked at the question, unsure how to respond to that as he looked once again at Gabriella who was staring at his Uncle like he'd just spoken a foreign language.

"Um, Uncle Alfie, I have absolutely no idea what you just said." Troy said, coughing slightly when Callie walked past with Chad attached. His sisters eyes flicked over to him and then she smirked and continued walking.

"Boy, you're beneath the mistletoe!" Troy's eyes widened at his Uncle's exclamation and he glanced up to see a sprig of mistletoe hovering over his and Gabriella's head. Swallowing nervously, Troy glanced at Gabriella, who was looking up at the mistletoe, before looking at his Uncle.

"And?" Troy asked as Gabriella shifted uncomfortably beside him, obviously understanding what Uncle Alfie was talking about.

"The tradition boy, the tradition! Or has your head been hit with too many basketballs!" Uncle Alfie exclaimed, his eyes twinkling slightly as Troy stared at him like he was crazy. Just as he'd suspected, his grand nephew like the girl and wasn't willing to do anything about it, despite the girls very obvious eagerness to do as he'd requested.

"The tradition?" Troy played dumb, unsure why his Uncle wanted them to follow the tradition.

"Yes. Boy, you're under mistletoe, which means you have to kiss the girl you're under it with! So kiss her!" Troy swallowed again at his Uncle's words and was too aware that he wouldn't get out of this. Taking a deep breath, Troy turned to Gabriella and saw her looking up at him nervously. Shrugging, Troy glanced at his Uncle Alfie again and saw the old man watching the two like a hawk before he leaned down and pressed his lips to Gabriella's.

Almost immediately, Gabriella responded, tugging her hand free of his and twining her arms around his neck as she kissed back. Forgetting that his Uncle was there, Troy placed a hand on the small of her back and pulled her close so she was pressed against him. Dimly, in the back of his mind, Troy registered that the months of flirting had been covering some very obvious feelings between the two of them.

"Alright, alright, enough!" Uncle Alfie exclaimed as Troy attempted to pull Gabriella even closer. Pulling away, from her Troy turned his head to look at his Uncle who was watching them in apparent disgust.

"Um, Uncle Alfie, we're still beneath the mistletoe." Troy pointed out as he felt Gabriella press her lips to the side of his neck.

"Good God boy, I didn't expect to see that!" The old man exclaimed and Troy held back a chuckle as his Uncle rolled his eyes and stomped away, before turning back to Gabriella.

"You know, we're still beneath the mistletoe." Gabriella said softly, looking up at him innocently as Troy looked down at her. Grinning Troy looked up and then back down at Gabriella.

"Huh, we are still beneath the mistletoe. Can't break tradition, can I?" He asked as Gabriella giggled and pulled his lips back down to hers.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I know it was weak and definitely not my best work, but I suppose its Christmas and even if it was bad you guys deserve something from me! I hope you enjoyed it anyway!**


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